Dynamo report: Cup matchup shows strength of lower seeds

The Galaxy's Landon Donovan, center, will play in his sixth MLS Cup final.

Some have complained about the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds in the playoffs meeting for the MLS Cup, but Galaxy coach Bruce Arena would argue the top teams are in the final.

"I think, in this particular situation, the best two teams survived," Arena said.

Arena said fans shouldn't be surprised when the top two seeds don't advance to the final in any sport.

The Galaxy, seeded No. 4 in the Western Conference, eliminated the top-seeded San Jose Earthquakes. The Dynamo, fifth in the East, eliminated Eastern Conference top seed Sporting Kansas City. Both of those upsets occurred in the conference semifinals.

"I think, for me, Jermaine Taylor has been very underrated," Kinnear said.

Cameron, who is playing for Stoke City of the English Premier League, has been tweeting his support for his former Dynamo teammates.

Odds and ends

Seven of the past 11 MLS Cup championships have been won by the Galaxy (2002, 2005, 2011) the Dynamo (2006, 2007) or the Dynamo's previous incarnation, the San Jose Earthquakes (2001, 2003). … Since a 2-2 tie on April 19, 2008, the Galaxy have beaten the Dynamo five consecutive times in L.A., three by 1-0 scores. The only time the Dynamo scored in that stretch was in a 4-1 loss in 2010. … Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall has a 0.67 goals-against average in his playoff career (810 minutes). That is second in MLS history behind Adin Brown (0.66).